PS 3525 
. fl2495 
K3 
1920 

copv 1 THE KAISER^S DREAM 



at the 

GATES OF PARIS 



^e 



By 
JOHN L. McKAY 

3636 Portland Ave. 
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 



Copyrighted 1920 
All Rights Reserved 



THE KAISER'S DREAM AT THE GATES OF PARIS 

By John L. McKay 



When German legions crossed the Rhine, > * e^\(^ 

When first they struck the Belgian Line, ,V,^ 

They had a plan in Berlin then * y(i,%h 

To keep the lion in his den. ^* 

With caution they approached his lair. 
While threats of vengeance filled the air; 
They knew that Britain's fleet was there. 

Bill said to Belgium's King that day. 

If you attempt to block my way, 

I'll smite you with an iron hand 

And brand you with a German brand; 

For years I've waited for a chance • 

To plant my flag in Paris, France; 

My Uhlans now are here in sight. 

Your answer I demand this night. 

Brave Albert spoke without delay. 

And said, "I swear you'll rue the day 

If ever you come near Liege; 

My men wait there at my command 

To strike your murdering, plundering band." 

With world's freedom slipping fast. 
With Belgians fighting to the last. 
They held them 'till the crisis passed; 
They fought as only brave men can. 
Till overwhelmed by gun and man; 
The Allied troops had not yet come. 
The World's War had just begun. 

Mighty Britain, fearless, free. 
World's guardian in the Northern sea. 
To Berlin an ultimatum went. 
'Twas very brief the message sent; 
The Kaiser knew then what it meant. 

The lion's cubs on distant shore 
Had heard the call — Their sire's roar. 
To Downing Street they sent reply, 
"For Liberty, we'll do or die; 
Stand by your guns and have no fear 
A million cubs are ready here." 

With outposts scattered far and wide. 
From starry heights to furthest tide; 
That wall of fire — death and steel — 
Lay waiting for the fleet at Kiel; 
The battles raged on sea and land. 
Wherever Prussians dared to stand; 
Beneath the waves, high in the air. 
No limit to the conflict there. 

Men mount on wings to realms on high 

And quickly vanish in the sky; 

They search the clouds with patient care 

To see if Huns are lurking there; 

Before their daily work is done 

They circle 'round the setting sun 

Looking for another Hun. 



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With lightning speed, on homeward flight. 
Their pathway shines with Heavenly light; 
While waiting for the dawn of day 
They anchor on the Milky Way, 
In celestial silence there they pray. 

Like meteors speeding through the air. 
Like dancers shooting here and there; 
Like eagles darting for their prey. 
The fliers come to earth that way. 
Still planning for the coming day. 

Bill vowed a vow, — 'Twas on that night 
When Paris dimmed her silvery light, — 
" 'Tis by my sword and withered hand. 
My will be done is Heaven's command; 
In Paris I will wear my crown 
Before tomorrow's sun goes down; 
The people then will quake with fear. 
Knowing my vengeance then is near; 
In Heaven above angels will sing 
An anthem for their German king." 

"And by the moon in yonder sky, 
'Tis now the blood is in my eye; 
I'll paint this land a crimson red 
And carpet it with Allied dead; 
In foreign lands beyond the sea. 
The people there will bow the knee 
And kiss the flag of Germany." 

"When I crush Belgium, Britain, France, — 
Ye cursed Yanks, I'll make you dance; 
You'll tremble at my holy name 
From Golden Gate to coast of Maine; 
By Prussia's might and pointed lance 
I'll wake you from your peaceful trance. 
And when my mission here is done, 
I'll own the earth, the moon, the sun. 
In Heaven their king will be a Hun." 

Von Kluck, the night before that day 

Slept restless on his bed of hay. 

Von dreamed a dream and shook with fright. 

For all was black as Egypt's night. 

What Von dreamed I cannot tell. 

But this I know, that he knew well 

His troops were in the jaws of hell. 

As a prophet, Bill went wrong; 
The angels never sang his song; 
Bill's wishes died ere they were born; 
He did not see the coming storm. 

The Allied lines stood firm and fast; 
Like tempered steel they faced the blast; 
Their ranks would waver now and then, 
'Till signals flashed, "Now at 'em, men." 

Like hungry lions stalking prey 
The Allies forward leaped that day; 
'Twas gun for gun and man for man, 
'Till shattered ranks of Prussians ran; 
The Allies knew 'Twas victory near. 
When visions in the Heavens appear. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




At Chateau Thierry, — Soissons,- - n-r, ■...in mi 

They gave the Kaiser's legions l.-.*! ^^^ 929 146 7 • 

At Ypres, Loos and Vimy Ridge, 

Thousands daily crossed the bridge; 

'Twas when the shells were bursting there. 

And poison gas was in the air, 

A lad was struck down by my side. 

For he was in that bloody tide. 

I knelt me down beside him there, 

Twas but a moment I could spare; 

I saw that death was drawing nigh. 

That distant look was in his eye; 

There was no shade or sheltering tree, 

'Twas blood and mud, death from the cloud. 

Ten thousand guns were barking loud; 

No loving mother's tender care; 

A kindly deed is Heaven's best prayer. 

I said, "My lad, how old are you?" 
No answer came, and then I knew 
To happier scenes his spirit flew; 
-But I can swear by Sheba's queen 
The lad had never seen sixteen. 
I saw Heaven's Pearly Gates flung wide. 
All creeds and dogmas swept aside. 
The password to the Heavenly clan — 
Deal justly by your fellow man. 

Old Glory waved and kissed the breeze 
As Yankee boys went overseas; 
With shot and shell and sharpened steel 
They made the German legions reel 
That glorious day at Saint Mihiel; 
For freedom's cause you understand 
They bled and died in No Man's Land. 

I hear the spirit voices say 

We are not dead or gone away 

We're with our loved ones day by day. 

The Allied dead lay side by side 

From Alsace Lorraine to Channel Tide; 

Men died in air, on land and sea. 

Were crucified upon the tree; 

They gave their lives that we might live — 

Was that enough for them to give? 

When time has ceased, — Heaven's record done, 

'Twill be emblazoned on the sun. 

The glories immortal Verdun won. 

Senate, Congress, is it fair 
To hold the Treaty in the air? 
In days gone by the Scottish Clan 
Stood by their Chieftain to a man; 
Now, politicians, you beware, 
There's trouble brewing everywhere; 
There'll come a time; there'll come a day; 
'Twill be the parting of the way 
With Allies and the U. S. A. 



■iiiiilii ; 

015 929 146 7 » 



Hollinger Corp. 
pH 8.5 



